Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Hulburd
Hi Emma, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Our story began when we met while working as servers at a restaurant during college in 2012. Even then, we both knew we wanted to help people in a meaningful way. Connor watched the life changing impact that his chiropractor parents had improving the health and quality of life of their community, one patient at a time. I had personal experience with chiropractic care from a young age and was drawn to the idea of pursuing a career that would allow me to help others heal naturally and holistically. Pivotal moments for us were witnessing the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic on our communities in which we lived. With personal experience of the trauma it has caused throughout the years, we became even more determined to help others from going down a similar road. It saddens us to see so many people suffering from severe, acute or chronic pain and feeling as if there is no hope other than medication and surgery. This solidified our goal to learn how to offer non-invasive solutions for pain management and overall health, giving people a way to heal naturally.
Over time, we realized that we shared not just a passion for health and wellness but a vision for how we wanted to practice. After graduating from Life University, we each worked in different clinics and saw a variety of approaches to patient care. I worked in a clinic that focused primarily on family care including pediatric and maternity. Connor focused mainly on those suffering from injuries following traumatic motor vehicle accidents and other injuries. These experiences confirmed what we already believed: that chiropractic care is about much more than pain relief—it’s about helping people achieve long-term health and well-being. With this in mind, we always dreamed of creating a practice where we could blend the science of chiropractic care with a personal touch, offering patients a space where they could feel truly cared for.
Opening our own practice was the culmination of that dream. It allowed us to combine our skills and philosophies, while bringing a wellness-centered approach to the Fort Lauderdale community. We wanted to create a place where people could come in not just for pain management but to truly heal and improve their overall health.
Working together has been an incredible journey. We get to support each other as both life partners and business partners, and we have found that our strengths complement one another. The connection we have with our patients feels like an extension of the care we give to each other. We’ve created a family atmosphere in our office where patients feel valued, empowered, and educated about their health.
What sets us apart is our holistic approach. We don’t just treat symptoms—we focus on improving the body’s natural healing abilities and overall function. Being a couple allows us to bring a more personal element to our practice, and our patients appreciate that we’re real people who are deeply passionate about what we do. Our ultimate goal is for people to leave feeling better physically, but also with a greater sense of connection with their mind/body, and understanding of their own health journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of our biggest challenges starting out was finding a suitable space to practice that fit within our limited budget. As we were working to establish ourselves and grow our name in the community, we needed a location that was affordable yet professional. We were fortunate to discover Khospace, a co-working environment specifically designed for wellness-based clinicians, right in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. It turned out to be the perfect fit for us, offering flexibility while we worked on building our reputation and patient base.
Another significant challenge was becoming known as the go-to chiropractors in a new community. Both of us are originally from the Northeast—Vermont and Massachusetts—so moving to South Florida meant we had to quickly become adept at marketing ourselves. We made it a mission to meet hundreds of new faces every month, getting out into the community to build relationships. We’d visit local businesses, introduce ourselves as neighbors, and participate in countless events as vendors to educate people on the power of chiropractic care. This wasn’t easy at first—it took time to gain the confidence to market ourselves—but as we began to see positive results and grow more comfortable talking to anyone willing to listen, it became much more natural. The more success we saw, the easier it was to keep going!
Another challenge I faced, in particular, is that people often expect chiropractors to fit a certain image. Many patients assume a chiropractor should be a bigger, stronger man, and sometimes they question if I, a petite female, can effectively treat a wide range of patients. But I’ve learned to work with my smaller frame by using proper technique, bodyweight, speed and my education to deliver the same powerful results as any chiropractor out there! It’s always rewarding to show patients that I’m more than capable of helping them heal.
There’s also the challenge of educating people on what chiropractic care really involves. Some new patients come in expecting a one-time fix, believing all their issues can be solved with a single adjustment. While this can sometimes happen, true healing is usually a process, especially for those who have been dealing with pain for weeks, months, or even years. We emphasize that chiropractic care is about addressing the root cause of the problem, not just masking symptoms. It takes time to stabilize and correct underlying issues before the body can truly heal, and that’s a mindset we help our patients embrace.
Chiropractic care in essence is about optimizing human performance, whatever that means for the individual in front of us. We advocate for wellness or maintenance care even when patients are feeling better or pain free, because in a world full of both internal and external stressors, ongoing care helps their bodies adapt better to these normal, everyday stressors. Many of our patients now understand the value of preventative care, not just crisis care.
When we decided to open our own practice, both of us were in stable jobs that we enjoyed. We were passionate about helping people avoid unnecessary surgeries and medications, and we worked long hours to care for as many patients as we could. But ultimately, we knew we wanted to create something that was truly ours—an office where we could treat patients exactly the way we envisioned, with a focus on wellness and long-term health. Making the leap into the unknown was intimidating to say the least, but we were ready to give it everything we had to bring that vision to life.
We graduated from Life University in 2019, and while the education we received there was excellent for preparing us to be skilled chiropractors, running a business was another story. We had to (and continue to) learn a lot about marketing, promotion, networking, and managing the day-to-day aspects of the business on our own. It’s been a steep learning curve, but we’re incredibly grateful to the friends, mentors, and colleagues who’ve supported us along the way. Their guidance has been invaluable.
One interesting challenge in Florida is that many people still associate chiropractic care primarily with car accidents. Of course, we treat patients who have been in motor vehicle accidents, but our practice goes far beyond that. We focus on treating acute and chronic conditions, enhancing sports performance, improving brain-body communication, and providing care for maternity and pediatric patients. We want people to know that chiropractic is about total wellness, not just reactive care.
There are still people in the community that talk down on our profession! It is perfectly fine if you do not ‘believe’ in chiropractic, it’s not a religion, but our profession has been helping people for over one hundred years and continues to grow with support and patients! Within our profession, there is a wide variety of techniques and how chiropractors practice. If you have a loved one that has limitations, or issues performing activities of daily life, please try chiropractic.
As you know, we’re big fans of Align and Flow Chiropractic. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are proud to be located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale, where we specialize in the non-surgical treatment of headaches, neck pain, and back pain. Our mission is simple: to provide natural, high-quality chiropractic care to help as many people as possible in our community heal without the need for drugs or surgeries. We believe in empowering our patients to achieve better health naturally, allowing their bodies to heal from the inside out.
Our primary focus is helping busy professionals and families get back to feeling and functioning at their best so they can continue doing what they love. We treat patients of all ages, from as young as 4 days old to our oldest patient, who is 90. We also work with athletes across a wide spectrum, from weekend warriors to professional and ex-professional athletes, helping them stay in peak condition and recover from injuries.
While many people associate chiropractic care primarily with pain relief, it’s so much more than that. Chiropractic care is really about optimizing the body’s overall performance. Some of the common benefits our patients experience include improved mobility, flexibility, posture, coordination, and balance. It can enhance sleep, digestion, and reduce the pressure in the spine and joints, while also decreasing the probability of joint degeneration over time if the joint is moving and functioning normally. We also commonly see improved mood as their pain decreases and they are back to doing things they love to do once again!
Our practice has a strong emphasis on sports performance, maternity, and pediatric care. Chiropractic is about raising the level of human performance in all aspects of life, and we are committed to helping every patient reach their optimal level of health.
Above all, we truly love what we do! Our office is a place where healing meets enthusiasm, and we aim to create an environment that is both exciting and fun for our patients. It’s an honor to be part of each person’s wellness journey, and we take pride in helping them live life to the fullest.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
When 3 years old, I would wear my Dad’s New Balance running shoes while running up and down the hallways of my home yelling, “I run like Daddy.” While training for marathons, my dad would push me in the running stroller. Instead of sitting patiently in the stroller, I would yell “me push, me push” wanting to run alongside him. I always loved running and being an athlete from a young age. One of my other fond memories growing up was going to the chiropractor every Friday after school with my mom. The office was always fun and exciting as a child and I would get the coolest stickers and get to sit on the kid’s sesame street chair. I didn’t realize it then, but getting adjusted weekly throughout my entire childhood kept my body functioning at its best. I will always be grateful to my mom for taking me to the chiropractor and for my dad for instilling in me a love of running and athletics.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alignandflowchiropractic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alignandflowchiropractic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlignandFlowChiropractic/
